Progress

Percocet is better than Vicodin. It has side effects, but the pain pretty much goes away. Also, if I am active, have someone to physically talk to, the side effects seem to abate, which was not the case with the vicodin.

We'll put that in the win column.

Pain, in general, is fading. This is in keeping with general reports. I don't expect the level of reduction to continue at this rate, but even if it levels off at the present level, life won't be too bad, because the present drugs are adequate to contain it. If, as I assume, it levels off someplace a bit more comfortable then here, I can probably cope.

Cope is, sadly the way of the world. I am not supposed to use pain relievers, in general, because of the interactions with my Etodolac. This puts me in a bit of a bind, because one heals more quickly when one is not in pain, but I don't want percocet to become a steady resident in my body chemistry.

Pending how that settles out, we'll put that in the draw column.

Crutches: Nuisance. I am starting to get a blister. I bought some bike gloves today at the PX in the VA. The left one fits just fine,the right not so much. At present a draw. They will prevent the incipient blisters I'm feeling, but a trip to REI to get some which fit is in order.

The Couch: For the nonce it's adequate, but I don't want to camp here for the next six weeks. It's not fair to Les, it's going to get right tiresome for me. At the moment (with no one else in the house) it's a win. Easy access to the kitchen, convenient storage of crutches, easy access to the outdoors/fresh air.

But ladymondegreen is coming to visit, and it won't sleep two. In short order it will make me feel not so much empowered as helpless. Arranging my bed so I can function out of it, with crutches needs to happen. I'm going to be spending more of my time in the living room, until I get the cast off, but I don't have to live here.

The VA is in the win column, even if the ways things are being done is less easy than I might like. I have an open app't Monday to get evaluated for the prosthetic aid I want. I have to see an orthopedist to make sure it won't be adverse to my recovery, but I don't have to wait weeks to see one.

My friends.... for the WIN. Les put up a post asking if anyone was willing to help out this weekend, as he is out of town. I got a ride to the VA today, for my eye exam. I had two people offer to take me.

savorie and djdigit lent me their microwave. djdigit took me to the orthopedist yesterday (and took the photo of my naked leg). klrmn came by with dinner and some chicken soup for later. She and savorie are going to come look in on me in the tomorrow and Saturday.

Another friend has been kind enough to order the vacuum sleeve I was talking about.

Information on meds, hairwashing, and general cope has been provided. Maia called and we talked for more than an hour about my foot, coping, and general stuff.

I am home by myself, but have rarely felt less alone.

News of real import

I was planning to announce this earlier in the week, but events overtook me.

This summer I am going to be moving. To New Jersey. ladymondegreen and I have been building a pretty serious relationship, and we both realised we were unhappy with the amount of country between us. Looking at the logistics, there was no way she could move out here.

I, at the moment, have a slightly more portable life. The greater portion of my income comes to me no matter where I live, because I get paid for breathing. I can go to school anyplace which has an acceptable OT program, and there are several int the New York area.

Add all the other factors, and the math was pretty easy to do. The timing, well that's school driven. The VA owes me Vocational Rebab (not for the broken leg, but for the Reiter's). If I start a program, they aren't going to let me transfer, so that would mean she (and akawil would have to move out here, if we were going to live together.

That's a lot harder move. They have a lot more stuff. They would both need to find work out here. A place suitable for all of us would have to be found.

So the solution, once the problems were dragged out into the light, was obvious.

Breaking my ankle may change some of the fine details, but the overall shape of it is already planned.

It's a big decision, but it's mostly the issue of distance. If it were here to LA, it would have been a no-brainer, and the long conversations, etc. needed to make it would have been almost trivial. But she's not, so it wasn't.

There are things which don't change because it's me moving east, instead of them moving west. A house is being procured; and then they have to move. I have to pack my stuff, and arrange to have it shipped. I can probably move to a Sur la Table in New York. At the very least I can probably get a gig teaching knife skills. I'll have to enroll in a school there, to get the damned math class I need to transfer. I'll have to get the Voc Rehab authorized.

I'll have to get into a school.

But all of those are solvable, and if I can't get into an OT program, I'll find something else.

The important thing... it's what we want. Leaning out to catch the brass ring is always exciting, and that's what we're doing.